Narrate offers oral history and personal interview services to fit every customer’s needs and budget! Whether you want to record your own personal narrative, capture the magic of your parents’ courtship and marriage, or preserve your grandparents’ favorite stories, Narrate is here to help!

Here’s Narrate’s process in 6 easy steps!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why did you chose the name Narrate?

Narrate is an active verb, something that propels us forward, in which you take part in sharing your best self. It’s your story; you are its best storyteller. We believe that sharing the experiences with and audience - public or private - helps make these stories real and is a fantastic way of taking account of the events of your life. We also believe that listening to a narrator’s voice is an amazing way to connect and to make a story ‘pop.’ You are telling your story so it can live on as your legacy - taking charge of telling your experiences in the world.

Why did you choose the website url Narrate Project?

Narrate composes changing and morphing projects, consistently improving as we collect information. We adhere to the idea that a project is ongoing and never completed. While we plan and address the future of our company we think it’s important to realize that we may never have the perfect solution, but that we are constantly working to make it better. Narrate believes that wisdom comes from our journeys, not arriving at the destination.

Why are oral histories important?

A great question! Here’s one of our favorite quotes, from the historian Louis Gottschalk, which we hope begins to address it!

"Most human affairs happen without leaving vestiges or records of any kind behind them. The past, having happened, has perished with only occasional traces. To begin with, although the absolute number of historical writings is staggering, only a small part of what happened in the past was ever observed.... And only a small part of what was observed in the past was remembered by those who observed it; only a small part of what was remembered was recorded; only a small part of what was recorded has survived; only a small part of what has survived has come to historians’ attention; only a part of what has come to their attention is credible; only a part of what is credible has been grasped; and only a part of what has been grasped can be expounded or narrated by the historian."

So if it’s that easy for history to disappear, why not do our best to preserve it?!

Narrate talks about “preserving legacy.” What do you mean by that?

When Narrate talks about legacy, we are talking about a gift, and something received from an ancestor or person from the past. By recording our storyteller’s voices as they share their life history, we view Narrate as a vital part of preservation, creating a personal gift of stories can be passed down to future generations. It’s often said that history is written by the rich and famous. Narrate challenges that notion and believes that we all have vital information, knowledge and stories to share, and that everyone is deserving of being represented in the historical record.

Why are audio recordings of stories better than written stories?

We believe in the power of audio. Our hearing is the most evocative of our five senses - hearing someones voice lights up the memory, pulls at our emotions, and creates solid links to the past. So we believe that hearing about someones life in their voice brings their stories to life, and creates a fuller picture of what the storyteller is like. Written records are fantastic and letters and diaries give us a great sense of what was moving through a story tellers mind they were writing, but the voice adds a special dimension, a depth not present on the written page.

Can’t I record these interviews myself?

You can! And we encourage it! Sitting down with family and friends and asking questions and listening to their responses are fantastic ways to get to know them and to show your love and interest. Grab your cell phone and hit record and ask the people close to you questions you’ve always wanted to know about them. There are excellent guides available all over the web. The Smithsonian Institution Archives are a fantastic resource. And just like electricians, doctors, plumbers, educators, farmers, and all other professions, professional interviewers and oral historians leverage their education, skills and experience to give you the best possible results . Enlisting Narrate’s trained professionals will give you a holistic, polished story that can be preserved for generations. Still have questions? Contact Narrate.

Who are the key players in this process?

Really great question! This CAN be a pretty confusing process. There are three “main characters:” the customer, the storyteller, and the interviewer. The interviewer handle the initial consultation, does all research, conducts interviews. The customer is the person who hires Narrate to undertake this process. The storyteller is the central character: the person with the knowledge, experiences and wisdom, we all want to hear!

What does Narrate mean when it says it offers ‘customized’ and ‘tailored’ services?

From the beginning of your Narrate experience, our professionals customize their approach based on the individual. From the beginning Narrate’s services cater to your individual needs. Our initial consultations are designed to find out the needs of our customers (the ones who hire us) and of our storytellers (the people whose stories we record). What life highlights should we ask about? What are important subjects to cover? What should we not talk about? What does the final product look or sound like? All of these questions inform our research and the final product we deliver.

What does Narrate mean by research?

A good oral historian always conducts research. After your initial consultations with Narrate where we find out specific topics of interest to our customers and our interviewees, we thoroughly research those topics, so we can formulate the best questions to ask in the interview. As an example, if the interview is to focus on the childhood, religion and military service of the storyteller, we research the area where the storyteller grew up, the time period, important related historical events, their church and beliefs, and the branch and area of service in which they enlisted. A well-researched interviewer asks better, more-informed questions; therefore helping create a better interview experience.

What purpose does the interviewer serve?

The interviewer serves a very important role. Our interviewers are trained and prepared to ask strong questions - questions designed to make you think, to reflect, and to share your life and experiences. Our questions are designed to get your most thoughtful, informed response from the storyteller. It’s just part of our training. A good interviewer is not content with surface answers and encourages the storyteller, the expert on his own life, to dig deep and give considerate, thoughtful answers. In addition, the interviewer provides a framework for the interview, keeps it moving, and asks questions people want to hear responses to.

What is the job of the sound editor?

Narrate’s sound editors are fantastic because of what they don’t do! As much as possible, Narrate wants the customer and the storyteller to hear an uncut, revised, corrected narrative. We want to keep it as natural as it sounds when it first comes out. But our editors do remove pauses, hesitation, and anything the storyteller wants to be removed from the record. We’re here to help you tell your best story.

Why does Narrate edit the interviews?

As much as possible Narrate wants the recordings to focus on the storyteller only. When we edit the interviews, we can cut out the interviewer’s voice, the questions, the pauses, the repetitions, the moments of contemplation, as well as anything the storyteller doesn’t want on the record. As much as possible, the customer is left with a flowing ‘narrative’ with the storyteller recounting the events of their life, much like a practiced storyteller spinning a tale.